Whether campers are enrolled in our All Sports or IXTC program, they’ll take on 5 activity periods each day. Three of them are structured sport sessions led by our coaching staff and the remaining two are recreation periods, focused on exploration and free choice. All periods have campers running, playing, swimming, and more as they take on signature activities like jet skiing, banana boating, rock climbing, mountain biking, or any of the international sports our coaches teach.
Given the action-packed schedule, it is important that campers receive the proper fuel they need to take everything on with a smile. Let’s jump into nutrition and food service at ISTC.
We offer 3 complete meals per day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner in our Lake View Center. Campers will be called in as a group with their cabins and counselors to ensure everyone attends the meal service. As they come into the dining hall, campers are welcomed to the main serving lines, where they are offered the meal’s main entrees. Meals vary based on the time of day, but always consist of a protein (eggs, chicken, lentils, etc.), a starch (rice, pasta, potatoes, etc.), and a vegetable (green beans, broccoli, carrots, etc.). Our team will serve each item as a means of portion control; however, campers are welcome to come back for seconds should they want it. This balanced approach allows campers to build a plate that will help them feel their best when taking on the different sports.
The counselors sit at the tables with their group of campers to get a visual on what they are eating. While we won’t force campers into eating vegetables as an example, we want to make sure campers are only taking 1 dessert and have access to everything offered during mealtimes, including the Chef should they have any issues.
In addition to the main serving lines, our Food Service team prepares a full salad bar at each meal. In the mornings, it consists of yogurt, granola, fruit, oatmeal, and toast to supplement the meal’s offerings. Lunch and dinnertime feature a standard salad bar, along with a daily soup. Our team strives to provide additional options at each meal, in the event what’s being served in the main line is not a camper’s favorite.
We are fortunate that our Food Service team is part of the year-round team at camp. Beyond camp, they prepare the meals for the weddings and banquets we host in the non-summer months. If their food is delicious enough for couples spending their special day with us, it is good for our campers too!
Another benefit of having them onsite year-round is that they evaluate products and manufacturers each year. Meals must be balanced to give campers the energy they need and further, must meet a variety of allergy criteria given the diverse population we service. We are nut free, shellfish free, and can make accommodations for gluten, dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan, and other specialty diets. For anything extremely specialized, they are available to connect, as camper’s safety is the top priority for everyone at ISTC.
